Trace-buckle



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELANCTHON E. ZELLER, OF BLUFFTON, OHIO.

TRACE-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 25,970, dated June 20,1882.

Application led May 5, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, MELANCTIION E. ZEL- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bluffton, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio,have invented certain newand' useful Improvements in Trace-Buckles; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon,which form a part of this specification, and in which-Figure l is a plan view of my improved harness or trace buckle. nalsection of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4. are views showing the differentsteps of connect ing thevbail and frame together.

This invention has relation to an improvement in harness or tracebuckles, having for its object to securely buckle or fasten and readilyunbuckle the trace or strap; and it consists of a subdivided bail and aframe having a shouldered lip or plate adapted to permit the wedgin g orclamping in place of the frame, with its tongue, the bail, andinterposed trace or strap, substantially as hereinafter more full y setforth and claimed.

vTo carry out my invention I employ a tugbail, B, preferably made in theshape of an inverted S, and subdivided by a cross-bar, B', formed orcast therewith. This bar is arranged at the point where begins thecurvature that forms the inner leg of the inverted S, and is disposednearer to that end than the outer end. This arrangement provides morespace in the outer than in the inner portion of the bail, to enable thepassing readily through it of any desired thickness of trace or strap. Afurther advantage derived from this arrangement is the trace or strap issupported against the cross-bar out of frictional contact with the tugto prevent Wearing between them. The subdividing cross-barB' has atransverse groove, b', in it to permit the tongue of the frame lto clearit as the parts are beinglocked or clamped together. The bail has at itsouter end a crossbar, b, whose inner surface is arranged in a.

relative parallel plane with the subdividing cross-bar B.

Fig. 2 is a longitudiy A is the trace-frame, having a plate or lip, a,atone end, which is formed with an inclined shoulder or elevation, Al, onits outer surface,

between its rear and forward portion, a. The

plate or lip a is arranged to project from one end of the framecentrally into the same, and thus permit the pressure of the bail to bereceived thereon instead of upon the sides of the frame. Thisarrangement also enables the 6o presentation of a broad bearing-surfaceto the strap or trace at the point of the application of the pressure,the distribution of the wear, and facilitates the joining or separationof the parts composing the buckle, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4ofthe drawings. On the inner surface ot' this lip or plate is a tongue,a4. By this arrangement, (with the lip or plate a passed against theinner side of the bar B of the bail and its tongue a4 into the requiredhole 7o of the trace O, passed through the outer passage or opening ofthe bail,) by pulling upon the trace rearwardly the bar b of the bailwill ride upon the inclined shoulder Aot' the plate a and clamp theplate or frame firmly in position and the trace against the bar B, thuse'ffectually buckling or fastening the trace. By pulling in a reversedirection upon the trace the shoulder ofthe plate of the frame A isremoved from the bar b of the bail, when the So tongue of the plate canbe readily lifted out ofthe trace, permitting the withdrawal ofthetrace.

At the rear end of the frame A, on its inner side, is a loop, a3, tocarry the trace, and on its outer side is a loop, a2, for any purposedesired. The trace has tongue-openings o.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent- In a harness or trace buckle, the combina- 9o tion,with a tug-bail, of a trace-frame having a lip or arm, a, provided withan inclined shoulder or elevation, A', the bail adapted to be passedover the projecting end of said plate, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth. 95

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MELANCTHON E. ZELLER.

Witnesses:

PHILIP? REEHLING, HAROLD O. BALDWIN.

